LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 



Shell: .-.M^Pfo 

UNITED STATSS OP AMERIfiA. 



1786 



NORWAY 




PIKE 



1886 



NORWAY CENTENNIAL 
POEM 

DELIVERED ON THE OCCASION OF THE 

CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION 

OF THE 

SETTLEMENT OF NORWAY, MAINE 

SEPT. 8TH, 1886 

BY 

CLIFFORD L. PIKB, M. D. 



1886 



COPYRIGHTED BY C. L. PIKE. 



Press of B. Thurston & Co. 






CENTENNIAL POEM. 



Of men we speak, who in the days gone by, 
By persecution pressed, were led to fly 
Their sunny soil, and thro' the trackless path 
Of ocean, sail beyond the tyrant's wrath, 
Whose cruel hand and unrelenting hate 
Had them exiled, or doomed to surer fate. 
Should they, perchance, in their despair remain ; 
They rather chose to breast the angry main. 
Where labors hard they met, and bravely bore 
Long e'er they reached Old Plymouth's rocky shore, 
And there among the hills they settled down, 
And planted first the long-expected town. 



JVO/^JVAV 



O God of Nations, and these chosen men, 

Relate their labors o'er to us again : 

How woodman's axe, within each sturdy hand, 

Made shelter for their use, and stripped the land 

Of forests, giant in their ancient strength. 

Whose waving plumage, found in greater length 

From mountain top to lowland vale or lea, 

Embracing each from sea to distant sea ; 

Or how they yoked the steer to patient toil 

To send the plowshare through the new-found soil ; 

The seed to sow and watch with jealous care 

Against destruction from the earth or air, 

They labor on, until the coming fall 

Rich harvests yields to feed them one and all. 

Speak on, and tell us, as thou hast begun, 
What works are theirs, and what the course they run ; 
How fast they grew and spread throughout the length 
Of this fair land as they increased in strength ; 
How towns grew up, and cities rudely drest 



CENTENNIAL POEy 



In majesty arose from east to west, 
Till on his throne the haughty tyrant stands 
And notes their rising strength in other lands ; 
He torment sends, and with his unjust laws. 
Which led to hardships and to many wars, 
That greed and worldly fame so often brings 
Within the rule of emperors or kings ; 
Subdued at first, they wait the chosen hour 
To seize the sceptre from the tyrant's power. 
Which, wielding with a strong, determined hand, 
O'ercomes his strength, and liberates the land. 
From whom descending, what the future waits. 
The glories of our grand United States. 

We leave thee here, in all thy power elate. 

To seek a Child within thy border State, 

Whose former lands, where now our story starts, 

Like ancient Gaul divided in three parts. 

Were known as Rustfield, bought some years before 

By Henry Rust, and Major Cummings' Gore, 



NO/^JVAY 



With that fair land known as the grant to Lee, 
Make up the town we now rejoice to see, 
Except three tiers of lots upon our west, 
Which range beside Old Waterford abreast. 
Thus Norway, Child, descended from the race 
Of our forefathers, we thy honors trace. 
And from thy hill-tops, with a poet's pen. 
We sing the praises of our honored men. 

They, whom we seek as friends, and not as foes, 
From silence and the undisturbed repose 
Of nature, where each gentle zephyr breeze 
Makes music to the nodding of the trees, 
Or where the lake's most placid water lies. 
Here came from friends and many tender ties 
To wake the echoes of the forest round 
On this, the God of Nature's Holy Ground. 
The Stevens brothers, known to ancient fame, 
And Lessley strong, whose record is the same, 
With brothers Hobbs, who from the town of Gray, 



CENTENNIAL POEM. 



Undaunted there, had pressed the tangled way, 
With hearts full strong, that ever stronger grew. 
To test a soil that ever has proved true. 
Make up the band who first to Norway came, 
And gave this day its ever-living name. 



We doubt them not, what toil they must bestow 
To strip the soil in readiness to grow 
The subtle seed, which bursting into air 
Gave to them courage and a father's care ; 
Or how their labors, set in golden crowns, 
Far shone beyond their realm to other towns, 
Whose rays attract the stalwart pioneer, 
Where naught is sure, and everything is fear; 
Where wander in the forest's lengthened shade 
The wild-men from each sylvan glade to glade, 
Who seek, perchance, in ugly mood to roam, 
Or war upon the settler's peaceful home. 
All these stern odds they stubbornly defy; 



NORWAY 



Thro' war and peace they grow and multiply, 

Until the land from east to western bound, 

Is covered with the homes we here have found. 

Attend, O friends, to what we now shall say, 

As we resume the subject of this lay. 

To some the art of warfare may belong ; 

To some sweet music and the gift of song ; 

While but a few possess the power of mind 

To lead, control, and elevate mankind ; 

Of those we speak, whose deeds we may confess 

Of them recalled, our town has cause to bless ; 

Shall we speak names, or are their names too dear 

And sacred for a poet's utterance here ? 

But no, we will descend, as now descend we musty 

To speak the first, whose name is Henry Rust, 

Once owner of these fields and lofty hills, 

Who near the lakelet built his goodly mills, 

And served his county, as to us appears. 

As treasurer for nearly thirteen years. 



CENTENNIAL POEM. 



Next in our midst, we see a lawyer rise, 

Whose words are truthful, and his judgment wise — 

'T is Luther Farrar, ever honored name, 

Upright in thought and worldl}^ deed he came^ 

Who represented first in that Bay State 

The people of our town with honors great ; 

And Levi Whitman followed next in fame, 

Who sought these goodly honors to obtain, 

And with success amid his toil and strife, 

Long years were added to a peaceful life. 

Here Virgin sought, within this busy town, 
In legal lore, himself to gain renown ; 
Elected first to plead the county's cause, 
Since then expounder of her many laws 
Upon the judge's bench, although between 
A senator, within -the State is seen. 
Who, at our great republic's threatened fall, 
Uprising to his country's urgent call, 
Raised arms and men along these hills afar, 



10 JVOI^PVAV 



And sent them to the seat of cruel war ; 
Whose valiant deeds, on battle-field and plain, 
Shall long resound within his home again. 
And thus a lawyer's and a general's fame 
Shall hover round the judge's honored name. 

Another man, of whom we will relate, 

Sought out a home within a distant State, 

And rising strong to meet his country's need 

Exposed to shame the frauds of " Old Boss Tweed,'^ 

Whose name and fame in peace will ever dwell 

In Dexter Hawkins, we remember well ; 

While Dennison the seed of wisdom sows, 

As his high fame extends itself and grows, 

Which, rising fast within his chosen band, 

Is wafted back to reach his father-land ; 

These few, with Bearce, whom now we greet with cheers. 

Elected senator the past two years, 

With Stearns, his partner, fresh from Bowdoin's care, 

Whose mind is fraught in many jewels rare ; 



CENTENNIAL POEM. ll 

With Kimball, pleader for our county long ; 
With Holt and Upton, ven'rable and strong ; 
With Whitman, learned within his chosen forte, 
Appointed judge of Norway's local court, 
Whose name and deeds have ever honored been, 
Make up the list of these our legal men. 

Of surgeons next, the subject of our lay. 
Who heal the ill and wounded on their way. 
We now will pause, and in our course relate 
The names of those most honored here and great ; 
Of Shannon now, who first to Norway came, 
And gained a surgeon's never-dying fame ; 
Of Moses Ayer, whom we cannot forget, 
Who followed after Barrett, Heath, and Swett ; 
Who ever sought in life to life prolong. 
Like great Hippocrates of ancient song ; 
How Danforth, in his early days, appears, 
And labors hard for over fifty years, 
^ Whose cultured mind, in golden treasure fraught. 



JVOI^IVAV 



Obtained the lengthened honors which he sought, 
Where loving deeds, and thoughts so oft expressed, 
On wings of time forever shall be blest. 

Of Millett, too, we now make mention here. 
Long known among his many townsmen dear, 
Whose works profound, withm the medic art, 
Shall ever dwell within each loyal heart ; 
Where Howe and Jewett lived, whom next we greet, 
Whose honored works on every hand we meet ; 
How Peables came, but sought a larger field 
Wherein the harvest of his thought to wield, 
And on " Old Auburn's " ever living brow, 
We see the crowning of his labors now ; 
But speak of Evans, now a name most dear, 
Almost a giant in his knowledge here. 
Uprising far above his fellow-men, 
A surgeon great, his name has ever been 
Beloved and honored by his townsmen round. 
His many labors have been doubly crowned. 



CEiVTENN/AL POEM. 



O happ3' they, who, from a happy State, 

Can wield the power of thought in strong debate, 

Receiving it from Nature's goodly hand, 

A monument of strength shall ever stand. 

Of him we speak, who in this town has taught 

Our Congress from " Old Minnesota " sought, 

Where on the floor his honors were begun ; 

A colonel in the battle of Bull Run, 

Whose name is Bunnell, now so widely known. 

Who in this State a senator has shone ; 

And John L. Stevens, who to Sweden sent, 

Our country's minister from Norway went. 

Now stands a jewel in the golden crown 

Of laurels wreathed around our honored town ; 

Of Kimball next, we speak in glad refrain, 

A consul gone to Stuttgart's distant plain, 

Tho' first the honors, which were his to meet. 

Him sought to fill the gov'nor's lofty seat ; 

While Swift was chosen senator of State ; 

And Henry Reed, a councilor, was great ; 



14 JVO/^IVAV 



With those, we pass, who represent the town, 
From Rust, the first, to Whitmarsh, last sent down, 
With names refulgent in their golden lore. 
We leave those representatives of yore. 

We now proceed in this our chosen theme, 

Absorbed in thought, or lost in silent dream, 

To now relate the mystic song of those 

Who wander into poetry or prose. 

Of Barton first, who plied his golden pen 

In the " Observer''' of his fellow-men ; 

Of Millett next, whose goodly work has fraught 

The ^^ Democrat'' in name, but not in thought; 

While Evans long the " Politician " sent 

In wordy war, where'er its columns went. 

Till Barton's " Oracle" and " Village Spy," 

With Goodnow's " yournal" here should live and die 

Of Dunnell, too, who framed the " Pine State News" 

And Seitz, whose ""New Religion" we peruse, 

Till Sanborn here within our town appears 



CENTENNIAL POEM. 15 

Upon our list of editorial peers, 

Whose "• Advertiser ^^ now more widely roams. 

And finds a place in many quiet homes. 



Here David Noyes, with quaint and goodly pen, 
Once wrote the hist'ry of his town and men ; 
While Mrs. Smith's sweet songs we may rehearse 
In poetry of thought, or rhyming verse ; 
Or Mrs. Stevens, from whose fertile mind 
In studied thought, her prose and verse we find, 
And Mrs. Hayden's stories we may read, 
To wander in the sunlight where they lead, 
Till Cobb we reach, who wrote, in goodly style, 
Romantic prose, his readers to beguile ; 
Where'er the "'Ledger''' finds a home, we go 
Within the thought of him we seek to know ; 
While Stevens here, who wrote those vivid scenes 
In the " Companion^'' of our youthful dreams. 
Whose many works are seen on every hand, 



NOR WA Y 



Now stands among the authors of our land ; 
We sound their praise with e'er inspiring song, 
Where now their echoes shall re-echo long. 

O Deity of war, wilt thou confess, 
Shall Norway in the war be more or less 
Than other deeds she now has cause to bless ? 
Should we not here the lofty praise prolong 
Of those brave men, who, valiantly and strong, 
From home and all the tender ties of youth 
Went forth, for God, for Liberty, and Truth, 
To shield the banners which our fathers gave. 
Or Sailing there, to seek an early grave ? 
We hear thy voice from east to western shore 
Their praises sound, thou shalt forevermore. 

Then tell us of the arms we see afar, 

And sing to us of the approaching war. 

Where Bodwell's men, upon the northern bound. 



CENTENNIAL POEM, 17 

In strong array the British Lion found ; 

Them held in check upon the Champlain's shore, 

Till peace returns, and cruel war is o'er. 

How Parsons came, a general of brigade, 

With Towne and Millett, who were colonels made ; 

With Noyes, who led our valiant men once more 

From peaceful homes to " Madawaska " war, 

Whose labors won promotion and renown. 

Now dwells in peace within our quiet town. 



How went the Murray of the Fifteenth Maine, 
Whose many battles we live o'er again ; 
From Mansfield to yon Pleasant Hill we go, 
Mansura and Cane River crossing, too, 
Down the Shenandoah with General Dwight, 
Where Jubal Early made his hasty flight. 
Or on Virginia's soil, where he staid 
The haughty Mosby in his cruel raid. 
Till from Car'lina we in peace await 



i8 NO/^PVAY 



The general adjutant within our State ; 
Here now we pass from one so widely known 
To Henry Rust, who has a colonel grown. 
Who led his arms upon the Texan plam, 
And up Red River in that great campaign, 
From Martinsburg to Cumberland, the seat 
Where Rosser's men made good their swift retreat. 
Long, long, we see his banners wave afar, 
Till peace returns, and ends our Southern war. 

How General Beal has gained his living fame, 
And won the laurels round his lustrous name, 
Who led his arms through many battles won, 
From Winchester, the first, to Darlington ; 
Whose eulogies we need not now proclaim, 
For known are they to history and fame ; 
Whose first reward, among his fellow-men. 
An adjutant of State has long since been. 
Where now his honors gather fast, and stand 
Among the proudest in our honored land. 



CENTENNIAL POEM. 19 

But some are gone, they fill their lonely graves. 
Beneath the flag that proudly o'er us waves 
They fought to save upon the southern soil ; 
Their battles now are o'er ; their weary toil 
Is done ; their bodies neath the dusty sod, 
Their spirits rest within the arms of God. 
And those we greet, who from the war returned, 
The warrior's name and fame have rightly earned, 
To leave thee here, wrapt in the arms of peace, 
Whose lengthened honors time shall e'er increase. 

Thro' gentler scenes our pathway now must lie, 
Where naught of war, but peace shall multiply ; 
Where shepherds dwell, sweet heralds from above. 
Whose voices tell of God's undying love. 
Where Cressey was most gentle, kind, and good. 
Who fed the people with his Heavenly food ; 
Where Murray came to heal each bleeding wound. 
And tell of Him where only peace is found ; 
Where Holt and Pierce, long years delayed to them, 



JVOJ?lVAV 



Here lived and taught among their fellow-men ; 
How Pingree went beyond his chosen band, 
To raise the heathen in a foreign land ; 
Where Reuben Milner, long, long years has shown 
The narrow pathway to the Heavenly Throne, 
Whose loving soul, beneath the chas'ning rod, 
Has flown beyond, to dwell in peace with God. 



Here Pillsbury labors with a joy untold. 
To bring the wand'rer to the Father's fold ; 
And Wiswell, who, amid the toil and strife, 
Now points to Him where is eternal life ; 
Where Hooper taught among his chosen kind, 
The priceless treasures of his fruitful mind, 
But now away, 'mong other scenes and friends, 
The sunlight of his wisdom still descends ; 
And where Miss Angell's words so sweet may fall 
Of shepherds grand, the Nestor of them all. 



CENTENNIAL POEM. 21 



We pass from those whose great and high renown 
Now sheds a hister o'er our honored town, 
To seek the industries that throng the place, 
And see what enterprise we here may trace. 
The tann'ry first, that rises into view, 
Tho' smaller once, to great dimensions grew — 
Built by the man whose strong and ready hands 
The architect of his great fortune stands. 
The shoe-shop next our goodly town has fraught, 
And many people to its village brought, 
Whose business here by Spinney carried on, 
Now ranks among the first in Norway born. 

A saw-mill stands upon our lakelet shore; 

Two grist-mills that were built some years before 

Still grind the wheat and corn for people round ; 

While paste-shops two are in our village found ; 

A carriage-shop is by our depot seen. 

As well a lumber-yard, that stands between ; 



22 NORWAY 



A trotting park is on our eastern bound ; 
A railroad, too, is in our village found ; 
And stores of every kind we here may meet 
While passing down our long and busy street, 
Where now our water-works have just been laid 
To long protect the work our hands have made. 
Thus enterprise is seen in every part 
Just budding now, perhaps, that soon will start 
And raise our town, the first in court and mart 
Among her sister towns, that grace the land, 
Until, perchance, a city here shall stand, 
Pushed onward by our strong and ready men 
Till future years shall sound their praise again. 



One tribute more, and only one we bring. 

Our Alma Mater's praise we fain would sing ; 

Loved school, where first our youthful mind was taught 

And learned to wander into deeper thought. 

We love thee still, and linger in the shade 



CENTENNIAL POEM. 



Of thy sweet mem'ries, that shall never fade ; 
We live and die, who in thy arms were born, 
But in the future, thou shalt e'er live on. 
And thro' the ages that shall sink to rest 
Thy children bless thee, as thou shalt be blest. 

One hundred years roll round, thy children bring 
Their lofty tributes, and thy praises sing 
Upon these verdant hills and sunny clime 
Rememb'ring well, this is the chosen time ; 
The present is, there is no by and by, 
Within the present, we must live and die ; 
The past is ours, we live it here in speech, 
The future lies beyond, we cannot reach ; 
Then let us act before our fellow-men. 
That when a hundred years roll round again 
A greater poet, with more learned pen 
May sing the praises of our honored men. 



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